Tired of playing catchup!

denialanderror

Hi snowscreamer,

Managed to track down the discrepancy, it was related to counting a credit card transaction twice, it is now ok, YNAB, my cash flow spreadsheet and my actual bank accounts all tie up.

Thanks again for your help!.

I've since put the transactions on the accounts registers for income for June, due 25th, and all my DDs due out 26th, allocated money for cash / debit card spends and 700.00 in my moving fund, this left a surplus on June which I've allocated for spending in July.

As part of controlling the overspending, OH and I were talking about money last night and we've agreed we need to cut down on the eating out as we'd both noticed it's spiked recently and it has been my biggest cash expense after fuel this month.

denialanderror

So YNAB now reads,


June
Not Budgeted in May: 0.00
Overspent in May: 0.00
Income for June: +2549.88
Budgeted in June: -2142.71
Available to Budget: +407.17

July
Not Budgeted in June: +407.17
Overspent in June: 0.00
Income for July: 0.00
Budgeted in July: -407.17
Available to Budget: 0.00


Which is right, as only one direct debit is taken not on 26th of the month (they won't move it!) and this leaves 335.17 available for my fuel, food and cash spends.


So the challenge is simply to not overspend in the "monthly other" category in July.

snowscreamer

Good job! Sounds like you are getting on top of it

Eating out is one area where we have cut back too. Don't miss it that much though - just have evenings in and on weekends go to a bit of extra effort on the cooking to make it more of an occasion. So for example this Saturday we made our own pizza - costs next to nothing for a bit of flour and yeast, half a tin of tomatoes, mozzarella and other toppings from the contents of our fridge, had a load of fun making it together and it tasted divine! We've done this sort of thing a few times and it definitely beats going out for an average meal.

We also invite ourselves over to one or other of the family homes for meals almost every weekend - keeps the parents happy and you get free food! And in fact we've even been out to eat with the parents several times because it's more convenient for them than cooking and they always pay!!

For the five months before we started budgeting our average "eating out" spend (this is sit down meals - doesn't include "the pub") was £146 and we have now brought this down over the last six months to an average of £69 by setting an £100 ceiling each month and if it isn't used moving it across to cover overspends or pay down debt rather than allowing it to roll over. This normally means we eat out at most twice each month and we plan in advance when we are going to use that budget (special occasions, catching up with friends etc) and avoid "last minute" eating out.

denialanderror

So after payday yesterday I was left feeling quite happy and content that everything that needs paying for between now and christmas can be paid for, although still acutely aware that the budget is tight and could be completely blown by the slightest unexpected expense or any period of unemployment.

I was also feeling good about now operating out of only 1 bank account, having only 1 debt and only needing to focus on one target for the month.

And finally, felt good about my renewed sense of control with accomodation sorted for next year and a new much clearer system in place for tracking expenses.

However, as it usually does in my mind, that contented feeling has today given way to a much more familiar buzz of anxiety about my lack of progress in life compared to others my age, constantly being on a knife edge with money and the practicalities of achieving any of my major life goals.

"Comparison is the thief of joy" as they say.

I have a savings master category in YNAB which contains sub categories "Salary Buffer", "Car Replacement", "Laser Eye Surgery", "Holiday / Travel", "House Purchase", "Relocate to NYC".

Can't help but feel very deflated when I realise unless my income increases signifiantly, I'm going to be in my early 30s before achieving even 1 of those ambitions becomes a realistic proposition, and even that's being pretty optomistic.

I've attempted to find other jobs however really need another year or two's experience before I can make the next salary jump, plus due to training it would currently cost me money to leave.

Have also had the passing thought of a second job, bar work or something but in practice this wouldn't fit around my main job as I'm expected to be away on sites quite regularly so couldn't take regular shifts elsewhere. Even if I could that would mean quitting my exercise regime which has helped a lot in stabilising my moods.

Guess today's mood could be summed up with "feeling overwhelmed".
Never understood how I am capable of becomming so miserable on such a sunny Friday afternoon.

denialanderror

Afternoon internet,

So after a very negative mood Friday afternoon descended into an even worse mood Friday evening, mainly caused by spending the evening surrounded by drunk people whilst not able to drink myself, the weekend did pick up a bit and the budget has so far not been broken.

The Money:

Spent nothing at all Friday evening.
Spent £10.29 in the social cateogory on Saturday plus 90p parking.
Then nothing again on Sunday.

Did however have a haircut on Saturday at 39.00, feels like extortion as they are the only place in town that do a decent job of it but grossly overpriced. And 9.90 on a fresh stuff shop from Sainsburys.
So total of 60.09 but every penny of that budgeted for.

Meeting an old friend this evening, have 8.91 to spend, will see how I get on.

Still hoping fuel in tank will last till the end of the month but might have to fill up this evening, quarter of the tank left they live in another town so getting there and back might not leave enough for work or run tomorrow.

Aiming for a more productive week to help with getting back to a more positive and less anxious mood.

denialanderror

Just a quick update following another weekend -

Fuel didn't quite make it to the end of the month, had to fill up on 30th so have adjusted the budget accordingly.

Currently have just under half a tank remaining and no major journeys that I can think of planned so should finish the month on target.

Spends since last update:
Social: 35.10
Food: 13.25
Prescription: 8.20
Fuel: 52.39
=====
Total: 108.94

I've also spent 158.00 in the clothing category.

Intended to buy some smart trousers and a shirt that fit for an event at the end of this month for 40.00, then next month buy some new shorts, t-shirts, short sleeved shirts and a couple of work shirts for 100.00, a lot to spend on clothes I know but worth it to have clothes that fit, and should result in much lower clothing spend next year as I have no intention of EVER getting to the size I was ever again!

Ended up just buying the lot in one trip as tbh I didn't see the point in waiting 3 weeks, and I don't travel to the city that often. Unfortunately means budget is now showing 118.00 overspend for this month, will have to adjust this when I get paid at the end of the month.

Most annoying spend of the week - 4.50 for 2.5 hours parking at a city shopping centre on Saturday.

Feeling pleased that I have a much clearer idea of where the money is coming and going and that things aren't as haphazard, but at the same time a little depressed that yet another friend has just bought a house with his fianc!!. Happy for them of course, but can't help but feel like I'm now a little bit behind considering I can't even RENT my own FLAT nevermind own an actual house!

Will be flying out to another office early next week for 3 days so another week with barely any food bill and also no fuel for commuting which is good news!

denialanderror

Bleurgh. There's something about Friday afternoons!
Think it's because the office goes dead and it's the only time in the week I only have myself for company. My thoughts inevitably turn to the future. Which is of course inextricably linked to my available funds.


According to the spreadsheet I use to forecast my financial position, which is built using pessamistic assumptions and has generally proved itself to be pretty accurate over the last few years -


At July 2016 -
- My bank account will have enough in it to be living 1 month ahead of myself.
- Only remaining debt will be around 6k in student loans, eating about 120.00 each month.
- I'll be spending the summer months working to save enough to pay for another move.
- The project that is likely to make me redundant, will be 3 months away from completion.
- My employers training bill will be circa 1 months salary, so paying it off from my last months pay will cancel out out the month I'm ahead of myself.
- Rents are continuing to rise rapidly in this area.


So will likely be in the same position at July 2017 unless I can achieve either a significant reduction in costs, difficult to achieve as I'm already still house sharing at nearly 30, or a significant increase in income which is proving difficult to achieve. Did have a lead on a good 15 month FTC role in central London this week but they wanted immediate start.


I know theoretically I'm £3500 up year on year, but I got into the debt mess through low income, firefighting and unexpected costs, not irresponsibility, and am very aware that I have no provision for future unexpected costs so 3500.00 up at end of 2017 is best case scenario at the moment.


If I do achieve the 3500.00 by July 2017, the money will cancel out roughly what I'll have lost in car depreciation.


So basically, it is pretty much foretold that I'm going to work for the next 2 years, in a job I can stand because I can't afford a paycut and don't have the experience for a promotion, single and moving from one shithole flatshare to the next, not having made any significant progress towards any of my goals.
Standing still feels like a pretty crap best case scenario for another 2 years work.


As the title says, I'm already fed up with constantly playing catchup.
Wish I knew how to break the cycle.


I know with departure of OH and having replaced all my L and XL clothes I'll theoretically spend less on these categories but I am thinking I'll want to meet someone else, which in itself may end up with me spending the same just on different things, cutting in these areas also feel like very much tinkering around the edges when trying to plug the tens of thousands pounds sized gap between where I am in life and I should be at my age.



Meeting someone else is going to be challenging, I'm deeply in love with my other half and I know her departure is going to hit me hard, but I also know she deserves a lot better quality of life than I'll ever be able to provide.

I'll probably delete this post on Monday when I read it back and realise what a self absorbed whining !!!! I sound like. Must keep my problems in perspective. Things could be a lot worse. Just know they could also be a lot better.

Magpie100

Hello D&E,

I don't post often, but you sound very down!

I just read back through your thread. Could you get a second job? I think it would really really help if you could do that temporarily. I know you'll probably be thinking NO, I already have a job, I want my weekends, evenings etc. BUT. You are young and healthy and will never be in better shape to do it. And every penny you earnt from it could go towards saving up for a house deposit.

I just think that if you got a second job now the timing could make a huge difference to you and give you the financial cushion to get on top of things so you don't constantly feel you are one payday away from disaster.

What do you think?
Mag100

denialanderror

Hey Mag,


Thanks for taking the time to reply, sorry it's taken me a few weeks to get back to this, I was away for work last week, then getting ready for an exam I had this morning (Passed thankfully, very relieved!!).
I guess you are right, I could be described as pretty down at the moment, struggle a lot to find things to be optimistic about, I'm alright as long as I keep busy, which fortunately is usually pretty easy for me to do.


Doesn't help I'm now waiting till October for OH to leave instead of September, but now at a point where for my own sanity I'm considering being the one to end it, I can only liken it to having been given a months notice you have to leave a job you really like, you still enjoy every day but it has the end date hanging over it with the occasional flicker of hope that it might continue.


I'd actually very much like to get a second job, used to do bar work as a student and really enjoyed it, although admittedly these days the attraction is more filling time and meeting people than the money, think if I was on wages it would work out at something like £4 an hour after tax.


Biggest barrier to it is my irregular working hours, when I looked into it before, not many places want people for Saturday only but (like last week) I'm often away in hotels during the week or working late so would probably be sacked for being unreliable pretty quickly.


I will keep an eye out for something suitable, if I could get 16 hours a week at £4ph net that £250 extra a month would certainly help while I'm adjusting to bringing the overspending back under control.
I know the place I used to work in had a call center which did nice evening shifts, but again my main job commitment would likely be an issue there.


Will post an update on the months finances in a second, as there has been a bit of a fail there this month, and it's payday tomorrow.


D&E

denialanderror

Payday tomorrow. Overspend by just over 300.00 this month.
Overspend breaks down into:

Clothing 118.00
- As explained previously, spend this month, no need to spend further next month.

Expenses 23.43
- Annoyed about this one. Left a couple of reciepts in the hotel room so can't claim the amounts back.

Prescriptions 0.15
- Just got the price wrong in YNAB.

Fuel 29.84
- Not entirely sure where this overspend has come from as I've not done any unusual journey's this month, may just be underbudgeting, will monitor during August.

Food and Drink 84.26
- Always an area in which I overspend, the only thing that will cure this is better self discipline.

Misc Cash 31.46
- Almost entirely parking and a train ticket, the train ticket being to a BBQ which contributed to the F+D overspend. A little annoyed about the BBQ, took food and drink, then got a message later on asking for a money transfer to cover what the hosts provided.

Resulting in missing of the savings target by 300.00.
Will still be ok in time for the move, looks like I'll be able to afford it with about 600.00 leeway but obviously if I overspend as I have this month, that leeway will disappear.


Still to pay out this month -
- Engagement party Saturday, including taxi split to and from.
- 60th Present 1st of next month.


Unbudgeted for expenses next month -
- OH birthday present.